North Canterbury News: January 27, 2022

Astronomers move online
By DAVID HILL
The Oxford Observatory is moving
online as it looks to extend its
reach.
After the disruptions of the last
two years due to Covid­19, the
observatory’s regular coursesare
now beingoffered via Zoom.
‘‘We havepeoplewho come from
all over the region, so getting to
Oxford eachweek can be a
challenge for some people,’’
Observatoryvolunteer Erik
Vermaatsays.
‘‘Because of Covid Iendeddoing
it on Zoom last year. Ihad areally
enthusiastic group for the whole
year and for some people it
worked betteronZoom thanatthe
observatory.’’
All lectureswill be recorded and
available online for course
participants in case aclass is
missed.
Enrolment is open for the first
course,‘‘exploring the solar
system’’, which starts on February
15.
The course explores the sun, the
planets, dwarf planets, moons,
asteroids,cometsand even
recently discovered extra­solar
visitors, Erik says.
‘‘Because there is so much to
choose from, each year this course
is different and we will makea
selection of contemporary topics.’’
Mars will feature along withthe
own moon and the
‘‘groundbreaking’’ Juno mission
around Jupiter.
In termtwo the course‘‘leaving
the solar system’’ will explore
space out to 7000 light years,
including the search for
exoplanets.
Don’t forget to look up ... Erik Vermaat’s astronomy classes are now
online.
PHOTO: FILE
The remaining courses are
‘‘exploringthe Milky Way’’ and
‘‘going deep’’, which attempts to
explore out to the edge of the
observable universe.
Volunteers are considering a
practical astronomy course at the
observatory during terms two and
three, while astrophotographyis
alsoapossibility.
Withthe James Webb Space
Telescope being launched on
Christmas Day, on amission to
lookout into deep space,
astronomy is likely to be in focus
thisyear, volunteer Raul Elias­
Drago says.
After the excitementof
installing abrand new 12­inch
telescope, just one open nightwas
heldlast year.
‘‘Hopefully we have agreatyear
coming up,’’Raul says.
‘‘Wehad such alet downwith
weather last year and then we had
lockdown.
‘‘But it has given us timefor
development, become familiar
with the new telescope and we’ve
done some maintenance and
upgrades.’’
The software with the 12­inch
telescope is designed to identify
the ‘‘brightest targets’’onany
givendate. The operator simply
selects the objectand the targeting
software does the rest.
Raul says Uranus can be viewed
in the nightsky along with Mars
and Venus, whileJupiter and
Saturnwill be visible later in the
year.
Eventsare also being plannedto
coincide with OxfordArea
School’s 150th celebrations, with
Matariki and the Orion Nebula
likelytargets.
For more informationgoto
oxford.ngawhetu.nz or follow the
OxfordObservatory on Facebook.
NEWS
The North Canterbury News, January 27, 2022
23
Scheme to manage
battery waste
Apilot scheme to remove
potentially dangerous
domestic batteriesfromthe
waste stream has nowbeen
expanded intothe
Waimakariri district.
Twonew battery
recyclingstationsare
located at the Southbrook
Resource Recovery Park
and theOxford Transfer
Station and accept
household batteries freeof
charge.
Waimakariri District
Council solidwaste asset
manager Kitty Waghorn
saysthere is acommon
misconception that
batteriescan go in thered
bin or rubbish bags.
‘‘Household batteries
cause fires in kerbside
collectiontrucks and we’ve
experienced afair few in
our district.
‘‘Batteries, especially
lithium­ion,are dangerous
and it’s important that they
are disposed of correctly.’’
As wellasthe twostations
in theWaimakariri,
retailers in Christchurch
are supporting the
programme including
Bunnings Tower Junction,
Bunnings Shirley,
Countdown Ferrymead and
Mitre 10 Papanui.
Thebatteriesare stored
safely until theyare sent to
Australia where
componentsare processed
for recycling.
‘‘We’re pleased to have
this facility available to our
residentssothat we can
remove batteries from the
waste stream.
‘‘Not only will it help
reduce truck fires,but it’s
good for the environment
too,’’ Ms Waghorn says.
The Ministryfor the
Environment fundingis
supporting the recycling
programme at anational
level, andthe Canterbury
Joint Waste Committee,
Environment Canterbury
and participating councils
are also providingfunding.
Many rechargeable items
contain lithium batteries
including smartphones,
tablets, laptops, cameras
and smoke alarms.
The recycling stations
accept these as well as AA,
AAA andother alkaline,
drycell and zinc batteries,
button cells, NiCd, NiMH
and rechargeable batteries.
Car and other large
batteries can be dropped at
the hazardous wastearea
free of charge.
Residents are advised to
check in withon­sitestaff if
theyare unsure where
batteriesneed to be
disposed of.
More information is
availableonthe
Waimakariri District
Council website.
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